It’s a truly remarkable story. 

A powerful video by Cork-based filmmaker Seán Downey (aka SwanIGuess) has gone viral, with over 131,700 views on TikTok and 64,000 views on Instagram in under two days.

The video recounts how, at just 15 years old, Swan was taken to court by the Irish state for making a YouTube video about his life in foster care, and how he won the right to publicly share his story. The saga saw him miss school to go to court every Wednesday for eight weeks.

That moment, and the response to his recent video, have reaffirmed the need for Swan’s debut short film, ‘Care’ and now the young creative is seeking out collaborators to help him bring it to the big screen.

The story is drawn directly from his own childhood and explores themes of foster care, trust, and betrayal.

“I’ve held these stories inside me for years.” said Downey.

“Sharing that video showed me just how many people care about them. My hope now is to find the right producer and production company to stand with me, so we can bring these foster care stories to the big screen.”

The next big step

Swan is no stranger to impactful filmmaking. He directed, shot and edited The Spark with Kabin Crew, a youth-led project that became one of the most viral kids’ music videos in the world, amassing 2.8 billion views globally and earning a Grammy longlisting. He has worked internationally with organisations such as the United Nations and FAO.

In 2023, Swan shadow-directed the short film Christy, written by Alan O’Gorman and directed by Brendan Canty. Christy premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) where it won Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury. Swan was credited as Shadow Director, BTS, and Actor, and played a big role in ensuring the script stayed true to lived foster care experience. He also directed and shot the promotional music video for the film featuring The Kabin Crew.

Through his creative brand SwanIGuess, Swan has built a reputation for youth-led storytelling and community-driven projects, helping to secure the RTS Ireland Award for Best Entertainment (2024) with The Kabin Crew Christmas Special.

With ‘Care’, Swan is inviting collaborators to join him in transforming his lived experiences in foster care into cinema.